Quick disconnect coupling

ABSTRACT

A quick connect and disconnect coupling for a pair of interfitting male and female coupling members which includes a resilient locking member carried by the male coupling member and snap locking with the female coupling member upon axial engagement of the coupling members into locked condition. Camming means on the female coupling member are engageable with the locking member when the coupling members are further axially engaged beyond the locked condition to contract the locking member into unlocked condition. Upon still further axial engagement of the coupling members, locking member capture means on the male coupling member engage with the locking member to hold the same in contracted condition whereby the coupling members may be separated. Removable stop means may be included between the coupling members to prevent inadvertent unlocking, which stop means must be removed before disconnection of the coupling is possible.

United States Patent km Nov. 20, 1973 Timbers QUICK DISCONNECT COUPLINGPrimary Examiner-Thomas F. Callaghan [76] Inventor: William R. Timbers,715 Nutmeg Att0mey vlctr Beckman 7 Ave sunny-vale, Calif. 94( 8 7 7 22Filed: Sept. 1, 1972 ABSTRACT [21] Appl. No.: 285,630 A quick connectand disconnect coupling for a pair of interfitting male and femalecoupling members which includes a resilient locking member carried bythe (gl. 285/30;l male p g member and p locking with the [58] Fieid 307305 male coupling member upon axial engagement of the 319 39 couplingmembers into locked condition. Camming .means on the female couplingmember are engageable with the locking member when the coupling members[56] References Cited are further axially engaged beyond thelockedcondi- UNITED STATES PATENTS tion to contract the locking memberinto unlocked 3,718,350 3 Kleinm- 235/39 condition. Upon still furtheraxial engagement of the 3,608,932 9/1971 I Bfown 235/18 couplingmembers, locking member capture means on 38273195 9/1966 Blshop et2853/18 the male coupling member engage with the locking 62:3??? memberto hold. the same in contracted condition 338l983 5/1968 Hams 285/321whereby the coupling members may be separated. Re- 3I193i309 7/1965MOI'flS 285/32] P P means may be i d between I 2,436,206 2/1948 Deming285/82 a fp members P T- g z t gnlockmg,

I w no stop means must e remove e ore isconnec- FOREIGN PATENTS ORAPPLICATIONS tion of the coupling is possible. 1,407,875 6/1965 France285/321 1 13 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures 46 5 12 40 n 22 1 8 l I 34- 1o '1I v 26 m 20 f," 3 {l v I r l I j QUICK DISCONNECT COUPLING BACKGROUND OFTHE INVENTION This invention relates to quick connect and disconnectcouplings for the quick interconnection and disconnection ofinterfitting male and female members.

Quick connect and disconnect couplings are well known and have beenemployed for numerous purposes. For purposes of illustration thecoupling members are shown comprising fittings for the connection 7 ofconduit such as hose, pipe, tubing, or the like, for use in a fluidpressure or vacuum system. The invention is not so limited, however, andmay be used for quickly connecting and disconnecting male and femalemembers, whether of tubular or non-tubular construction.

Of the quick connect/disconnect fitting systems known, many are ofrelatively complicated design and expensive to produce. Often they aresubject to accidental operation of the release mechanisms which resultsin unintended disconnection of the coupling members. For example, withone type of prior art coupling the members are disconnected by simplysliding a sleeve along the female member. If the coupling is underpressure the members'may fly apart with considerable force creating adangerous situation. Also, such couplings are often balky, taking upmuch space. Many require relative rotation of the parts for connectingand disconnecting the same which limits their use to installations whereample space to effect such rotary motion is afforded. In addition manyprior art quick connect and disconnect couplings provide no visualindication of the coupling condition. An object of this invention is theprovision of a quick connect and disconnect coupling which overcomes theabove-mentioned shortcomings and difficulties of the prior art and hasmany advantages thereover.

An object of this invention is the provision of a quick connect anddisconnect fitting of such simple and inexpensive design andconstruction so as to provide an operational and economically feasiblesubstitute for conventional fittings which require much moreinstallation time.

An object of this invention is the provision of an improved quickconnect and disconnect coupling in which only relative axial movement ofthe two coupling members is required for both connect and disconnectoperations.

An object of this invention is the provision of a quick connect anddisconnect coupling which includes a visible removable stop member whichprevents inadvertent disconnection during the connection operation anduse of the coupling, and which must be removed before disconnection ofthe coupled members is possible.

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention are achievedby means of interfitting male and female coupling members, and aresilient expandable and contractible locking member carried in anannular groove formed in the male coupling member. The bore of thefemale coupling member is formed with a rearward portion adjacent theopen end, a smaller diameter forward portion, and an intermediate orlocking recess into which the locking member snaps upon axial insertionof the male coupling member into the female coupling member into lockingcondition. The locking member is contracted by camming action with therearward bore portion of the female coupling member during initialinsertion of the male member therein to condition the same for radialexpansion upon reaching the locking recess. For sealing engagement, aseal member may be provided between the coupling members. The couplingmembers are disconnected by further relative axial movement of the malecoupling member into the female coupling member whereby the lockingmember is again contracted to unlocked condition, this time by cammingaction with the locking recess. Locking member capture means for holdingthelocking member in the contracted unlocked position are operative uponstill further axial engagement of the coupling members to free thecoupling members for axial separation. After separation the coupling isconditioned for reengagement by axially moving the locking member alongthe male coupling member to release the same from the capturedcontracted condition. To prevent inadvertent disconnection a removablestop member may be included to limit axial engagement of the couplingmembers to prevent capture of the locking member by said capture means,which stop member therefore must be removed to permit capture of thelocking member and subsequent separation of the coupling members.

The invention and other objects and advantages thereof will be betterunderstood from the following description taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings. In the drawings wherein like reference charactersrefer to the same parts in the several views:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a coupling which embodiesthis invention and showing the coupling members in disengaged ordisconnected condition;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are cross-sectional views of the male coupling membertaken along line 2-2. and 33, respectively, of FIG. I; and

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 are fragmentary longitudinal sectional views showingthe coupling during connection operation, in locked position, and duringdisconnection operation, respectively.

'Reference first is made to FIG. 1 wherein interengageable male andfemale coupling members 10 and '12, respectively, are shown which embodythe coupling means of this invention. For fluid, or vacuum, couplingpurposes the members 10 and 12 are formed with bores 14 and 16therethrough. For illustration only the coupling members are shownformed with external and internal threaded portions 18 and 20 at theopposite rearward and forward ends thereof respectively, for use inconnection of the coupling members to conduits such as pipes, hose, ortubing, or to other members to be interconnected. Hexagonal wrenchaccommodating flanges 22 and 24 may be provided on the coupling membersto facilitate attachment thereof to the members to be connected. It willbe apparent that means other than the illustrated threaded means may beused for attachment of the coupling members to the members to bereleaseably connected, including means integrally forming the couplingmembers to the members to be connected.

The bore 16 in the female coupling member 12 includes a rearward orouter portion 26, a forward or inner portion 28 of smaller diameter thanthe outer portion 26, and a tapered locking recess or groove 30intermediate the bores 26 and 28 to receive a locking member 32 carriedby the male coupling member 10. g

for locking engagement with the rear wall of the locking member 32 inthe coupling locked position described below. The forward, smalldiameter, end of the tapered bore portion 30 terminates in the smallerdiameter bore portion 28 with no shoulder being formed therebetween. Theouter rear end of the bore 26 may be chamfered as at 26' to facilitateentry of the male coupling member and camming of the locking member 32during coupling operation.

The quick-connect coupling portion of the male member is showncomprising a cylindrical forward end 38 and a larger diameterintermediate body portion 40. The diameters of the forward end portion38 and larger diameter intermediate portion 40 are slightly less thanthe small diameter bore portion 28 and larger diameter bore portion 26,respectively, of the female coupling member to permit interengagement ofthe coupling members.

Annular grooves 42 and 44 are formed in the forward end 38 of the malemember, in which grooves a seal member 46 and the lock member 32,respectively, are carried. The seal member 46, which may comprise anO-ring, or the like, is seated in the groove 42 and is adapted forsealing engagement with the small diameter bore portion 28 of the femalecoupling member in the engaged coupling condition for fluid tightengagement between the coupling members. Obviously, seal members otherthan O-rings may be used. For example, if the male member is made ofsuitable material, such as plastic, the seal member may be integrallyformed adjacent the forward end of such male member.

The locking member 32 is shown comprising a radially expandable andcontractible split ring of resilient material such as metal, or thelike. In the decoupled condition shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 the lockingring 32 is in a normal radially expanded condition. In such expandedcondition the inner diameter of the locking member is sufficientlylarger than the diameter of the groove 44 in which the ring is carriedto allow for adequate contraction of the ring to permit passage thereofthrough the bore 26 during connect and disconnect operations. Prior tocoupling, the locking member 32 is loosely contained within the groove44 and normally would rest therewithin. However, for purposes ofillustration only, the locking ring is shown centered along the malecoupling member axis in FIGS. 1 and 3.

The outer wall 48 of the locking ring tapers radially inwardly in theforward direction for camming action with the female coupling memberduring the connect and disconnect operations to contract the lockingring during such operations. The rear wall of the locking ring isprovided with a rearwardly extending annular flange 50 adjacent the ringbore. A cooperating recess 52 is formed in the forward facing wall ofthe groove 44 into which the flange 50 enters during the disconnectoperation as described below. For present purposes it will be understoodthat the cooperating flange and recess comprise locking ring capturemeans for holding the locking ring in a contracted condition duringdisconnection operation.

Connection of the coupling members simply is effected by axiallyinserting the male coupling member into the female coupling member.During the coupling operation the locking ring 32 is forced into andthence through the bore portion 26 of the female coupling member. Duringinitial axial coupling movement the ring is contracted by camming actionof the chamfered outer bore end 26 on the tapered locking ring wall 48.When contracted to the size of the bore portion 26 (as illustrated inFIG. 4) the locking ring 32 is axially urged therethrough as thecoupling members are thrust together and, upon reaching the lockinggroove 30, snaps radially outwardly into locking position therewithin.In the locked condition, illustrated in FIG. 5, the O-ring seal member46 provides a fluid'seal connection between the bore portion 28 of thefemale coupling member and the male coupling member. With theillustrated design, the female member provides an ideal lead for theseal member making it substantially impossible to cut, scrape orotherwise damage the seal member during the coupling operation. I

In the illustrated coupling condition (FIG. 5) axial separation of thecoupling member is prevented by engagement of the rear wall of thelocking ring with the shoulder 34 on the female coupling member, andengagement of the forward wall of the locking ring with the rearwardfacing wall of the groove 44 in the male coupling member. Fluid pressurewithin the coupling which tends to axially separate the coupling membersresults in shear stress along the locking ring and on the cooperatingparts of the coupling members. No amount of axial separation force,within the limits of strength of the several coupling elements, willseparate the coupling members.

Decoupling is effected simply by first moving the coupling memberstogether axially from the coupled condition (to contract and then tocapture the locking ring in the contracted condition as described below)and then axially separating them. No twisting or turning of the couplingmembers, or of locking sleeves, or the like, is required. However, toprevent inadvertent or accidental decoupling, a removable stop member 56may be provided to limit axial insertion of the male coupling memberinto the female member. Such stop member 56 may comprise a resilientsplit ring adapted for engagement in a groove 58 in the male memberadjacent the flange 22. As seen in FIG. 2, the stop member may be formedwith an outwardly protruding or bulging section 56 opposite the split oropening thereon to facilitate removal of the ring as by use of a toolsuch as a screw driver or the like. With the stop member in position,relative axial travel of the coupling members into further engagement islimited by abutment of the rear of the end face of the female couplingmember with said stop member, which travel is insufficient to unlock themembers as will become apparent from the following description of theunlocking operation.

With the stop ring 56 removed, disconnection is effected by axiallymoving the coupling members together into further engagement. Thelocking ring 32, which is moved along with the male coupling memberduring initial decoupling operation is thereby again contracted, thistime by the camming action of the tapered bore 30 on the cooperatingtapered locking ring wall 48. Such contraction continues until thelocking ring outer diameter is slightly smaller than the diameter of thebore portion 26 in the female member. At this point in the axialmovement the outside diameter of the flange on the locking ring iscontracted to substantially the diameter of the radially outer wall 52Aof the recess 52. Therefore, upon further axial movement of the couplingmembers together, the male coupling member moves axially relative toboth the female coupling member and the contracted locking ring, andinto the position illustrated in FIG. 6 wherein the flange 50 on the,locking ring 32 enters the recess 52. The coupling now is in conditionfor axial separation of the coupling members. It willbe seen thatportions of the tapered outer wall 48 of the locking ring and taperedcamming surface 30 remain in engagement in such fully engaged condition.Consequently, during initial axial withdrawal of the male couplingmember from the feber to release the same from the recess 52 therebyallowing the locking member to expand to its normal condition. Suchmovement is easily effected manually by means of ones fingernails or byuse of some tool such as a screwdriver, knife, or the like. It will benoted that by placing the stop member 56 on the male couplingfmemberprior to the coupling or recoupling operation inadvertent capture of thelocking ring is prevented during the coupling operation, andsubsequently thereof. Therefore, when coupling has been ef- 'fected withthe stop member in position, the presence of the stop member thereafterprovides a visual indication that the coupling has not beeninadvertently or aceidently released.

The invention having been described in detail in accordance with therequirements of the Patent Statutes, various changes and modificationsmay suggest themselves to those skilled in this art. For example, itwill be apparent that the coupling may be used without the stop memberif desired. Also, different types of stop members such as removablepins, sleeves, and the like, may be used in place of the illustratedsplit ring. Also, as mentionedabove other sealing members may be used inplace of the illustrated O-ring seal. In addition,

operation in a vacuum system instead of a pressure system iscontemplated, as well as use in a simple connecting device of a pair oftelescopic members. Also, suitable valves may be employed in theconstruction of the coupling members which automatically close upon de-1 coupling. in addition, it will be apparent that the locking member 32and/or seal ring 46 and associated grooves may be located on and formedin the opposite coupling members from that which is illustrated. It isintended that the above and other such changes and modifications shallfall within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in theappended claims.

I claim: 1. A releasable coupling comprising, engageable male and femalecoupling members, an expandable and contractible locking member carriedby the male coupling member in both assem bled and disassembledpositions, means on the female coupling member for receiving in lockingengagement the locking member to lock the coupling members together,means integral with the female coupling member and means integral withsaid male coupling member for removing the locking member from lockingengagement with the female coupling member upon axial movement of thecoupling members together beyond the locked position thereof to placethe coupling members in unlocked condition whereby 5 the locking memberis carried axially by the male member, 1

means integral with the male coupling member for capturing the lockingmember ,in said unlocked condition upon further axial movement of thecoupling members together to release the coupling members for axialseparation;

2. The releasable coupling as defined in claim 1 wherein said lockingmember comprises a resilient contractible split annular member, and saidcapturing means comprises cooperating flange and recess means formed onthe locking member and male coupling member which are engageable in theunlocked condition of the coupling.

3. The releaseable coupling as defined in claim I including a removablestop member on the coupling to limit axial engagement of the couplingmembers for permitting axial engagement of the coupling members tolocking condition while preventing further axial engagement thereoftogether to prevent locking member capture.

4. The releasable coupling defined in claim 1 wherein said lockingmember is in an axially movable position with said male coupling memberin the unlocked condition of the engaged coupling members 5 Areleaseable' coupling comprising,

a female coupling member having a bore'thei'ein which includes arearward outer portion and adjacent locking groove inwardly thereof,

a male coupling member formed with an annular groove insertable into thebore of the female coupling member,

a radially contractible locking ring carried in' the annular groove inthemale coupling member in both the assembled and disassembledpositions, said locking ring being contracted by camming action with therearward portion of the bore in the female coupling member uponinsertion of the male coupling member therein and radially expandableinto the locking groove into locking position, said locking ring beingcontractible by camming action with the female coupling member to anunlocked position upon further axial movement of the male couplingmember and locking ring into the bore of the female coupling member, and

means integral with the male coupling member for capturing the lockingring in the unlocked position within the annular groove in the malecoupling member upon still further axial movement of the male couplingmember into the bore of the female coupling member to permit axialseparation of the coupling members.

6. --The releasable coupling as defined in claim 5 wherein said malecoupling member is formed with a second annular groove, and said femalecoupling mentber bore. is formed with an inner forward portion ofsmaller diameter than the outer bore portion, and

a seal ring carried in the second annular groove for sealing engagementwith the innerbore portion of the female coupling member in the coupledcondition.

7. The releasable coupling as defined in claim 5 wherein said lockingring comprises a split ring formed with a radially inwardly andforwardly tapered outer wall for camming engagement with the rearwardbore portion and locking groove of the bore in the female couplingmember, said locking groove having a complementary tapered wall and alocking shoulder between said tapered wall and outer bore portion forlocking engagement with the split ring.

8. The releasable coupling as defined in claim wherein said capturingmeans includes complementary frictional engaging means on the lockingring and male coupling member which are tightly frictionally engageablein the captured condition of the locking ring.

9. The releasable coupling as defined in claim 8 wherein said capturingmeans includes a rearwardly extending flange formed on the locking ringand a complementary forwardly facing recess formed in the rear wall ofthe annular groove in the male member to receive the flange in tightfrictional engagement in the captured unlocked condition of the lockingring.

10. The releaseable coupling as defined in claim 5 including a removablestop member on the coupling for limiting axial engagement of thecoupling members to prevent capture of the locking ring while permittinglocking engagement of the coupling members.

11. The releasable coupling as defined in claim 10 wherein the removablestop member comprises a split ring removably attached to the male memberand engageable by the female member for limiting axial engagement.

12. A releaseable coupling comprising,

a female coupling member having an inner circumferential groove,

a male coupling member receivable in the female coupling member andhaving an outer circumferential groove,

an expandable and contractible locking member carried in both assembledand diasssembled positions in one of said grooves and movable laterallyinto locking engagement in the other of said grooves upon axial movementof the coupling members together into locked position,

means integral with one of said members for removing the locking memberfrom locking engagement upon further axial movement of the couplingmembers together beyond said locked position thereof to place thecoupling members in unlocked condition whereby the locking member iscarried axially by one of said member,

means integral with the one coupling member which carries the lockingmember for capturing the locking member in said unlocked condition uponstill further axial movement of the coupling members together to releasethe coupling members for axial separation.

13. The releaseable coupling as defined in claim 12 wherein said lockingmember comprises a resilient split annular member, and said capturingmeans comprises cooperating flange and recess means formed on thelocking member and the one coupling member which carries said lockingmember which flange and recess means are engageable in the unlockedcondition of the coupling by relative axial movement of the lockingmember and the one coupling member which carries the same.

1. A releasable coupling comprising, engageable male and female couplingmembers, an expandable and contractible locking member carried by themale coupling member in both assembled and disassembled positions, meanson the female coupling member for receiving in locking engagement thelocking member to lock the coupling members together, means integralwith the female coupling member and means integral with said malecoupling member for removing the locking member from locking engagementwith the female coupling member upon axial movement of the couplingmembers together beyond the locked position thereof to place thecoupling members in unlocked condition whereby the locking member iscarried axially by the male member, means integral with the malecoupling member for capturing the locking member in said unlockedcondition upon further axial movement of the coupling members togetherto release the coupling members for axial separation.
 2. The releasablecoupling as defined in claim 1 wherein said locking member comprises aresilient contractible split annular member, and said capturing meanscomprises cooperating flange and recess means formed on the lockingmember and male coupling member which are engageable in the unlockedcondition of the coupling.
 3. The releaseable coupling as defined inclaim 1 including a removable stop member on the coupling to limit axialengagement of the coupling members for permitting axial engagement ofthe coupling members to locking condition while preventing further axialengagement thereof together to prevent locking member capture.
 4. Thereleasable coupling defined in claim 1 wherein said locking member is inan axially movable position with said male coupling member in theunlocked condition of the engaged coupling members
 5. A releaseablecoupling comprising, a female coupling member having a bore thereiNwhich includes a rearward outer portion and adjacent locking grooveinwardly thereof, a male coupling member formed with an annular grooveinsertable into the bore of the female coupling member, a radiallycontractible locking ring carried in the annular groove in the malecoupling member in both the assembled and disassembled positions, saidlocking ring being contracted by camming action with the rearwardportion of the bore in the female coupling member upon insertion of themale coupling member therein and radially expandable into the lockinggroove into locking position, said locking ring being contractible bycamming action with the female coupling member to an unlocked positionupon further axial movement of the male coupling member and locking ringinto the bore of the female coupling member, and means integral with themale coupling member for capturing the locking ring in the unlockedposition within the annular groove in the male coupling member uponstill further axial movement of the male coupling member into the boreof the female coupling member to permit axial separation of the couplingmembers.
 6. The releasable coupling as defined in claim 5 wherein saidmale coupling member is formed with a second annular groove, and saidfemale coupling member bore is formed with an inner forward portion ofsmaller diameter than the outer bore portion, and a seal ring carried inthe second annular groove for sealing engagement with the inner boreportion of the female coupling member in the coupled condition.
 7. Thereleasable coupling as defined in claim 5 wherein said locking ringcomprises a split ring formed with a radially inwardly and forwardlytapered outer wall for camming engagement with the rearward bore portionand locking groove of the bore in the female coupling member, saidlocking groove having a complementary tapered wall and a lockingshoulder between said tapered wall and outer bore portion for lockingengagement with the split ring.
 8. The releasable coupling as defined inclaim 5 wherein said capturing means includes complementary frictionalengaging means on the locking ring and male coupling member which aretightly frictionally engageable in the captured condition of the lockingring.
 9. The releasable coupling as defined in claim 8 wherein saidcapturing means includes a rearwardly extending flange formed on thelocking ring and a complementary forwardly facing recess formed in therear wall of the annular groove in the male member to receive the flangein tight frictional engagement in the captured unlocked condition of thelocking ring.
 10. The releaseable coupling as defined in claim 5including a removable stop member on the coupling for limiting axialengagement of the coupling members to prevent capture of the lockingring while permitting locking engagement of the coupling members. 11.The releasable coupling as defined in claim 10 wherein the removablestop member comprises a split ring removably attached to the male memberand engageable by the female member for limiting axial engagement.
 12. Areleaseable coupling comprising, a female coupling member having aninner circumferential groove, a male coupling member receivable in thefemale coupling member and having an outer circumferential groove, anexpandable and contractible locking member carried in both assembled anddiasssembled positions in one of said grooves and movable laterally intolocking engagement in the other of said grooves upon axial movement ofthe coupling members together into locked position, means integral withone of said members for removing the locking member from lockingengagement upon further axial movement of the coupling members togetherbeyond said locked position thereof to place the coupling members inunlocked condition whereby the locking member is carried axially by oneof said member, means integral with the one coupling member whichcarries the locking member for capturing the locking member In saidunlocked condition upon still further axial movement of the couplingmembers together to release the coupling members for axial separation.13. The releaseable coupling as defined in claim 12 wherein said lockingmember comprises a resilient split annular member, and said capturingmeans comprises cooperating flange and recess means formed on thelocking member and the one coupling member which carries said lockingmember which flange and recess means are engageable in the unlockedcondition of the coupling by relative axial movement of the lockingmember and the one coupling member which carries the same.